Friday, November 11, 2016

Stop slut shaming Melania Trump

There are a few images making the rounds on social media, juxtaposing an image from a nude modeling shoot of Melania Trump beside various First Ladies. The First Ladies pictured vary by meme, but they're always clothed; it is meant to convey the dignity of these other women, in contrast to Melania Trump, because they're clothed and she's not. This is straight up slut shaming, using a woman's sexuality and body as a weapon against her.

And this is being shared by liberals and so-called progressives.

This is not acceptable, people. There are plenty of reasons to dislike and oppose Trump. There are hundreds of legitimate criticisms of Trump. And not one of them involves how or why his wife took her clothes off.

Yes, it's legitimate to call out the hypocrisy of the Right, in slut shaming First Lady Michelle Obama for baring her arms while having no qualms about Melania's modeling. Yes, it's legitimate to call out the hypocrisy of the Christian conservatives, whose power is largely derived from promoting sexual "values" that shame and limit women while celebrating a family that embodies the reverse of those values. It's absolutely fair to call out the hypocrisy, because the focus is on trying to force us, by the letter of the law and the full brunt of social pressure, to live by their religious teachings as they flout them. But Melania Trump isn't that person; she's not and never has been a crusader against nudity, or a "family values" champion, or a religious crusader. (Even if she were, while it would be absolutely acceptable to point out the hypocrisy, it would not be acceptable to slut shame.) What she chooses to do with her body is her business, and she does not deserve to be dragged through the mud for it simply because we don't like her husband.

That is not progressive. Frankly, it's no better than what they do. Please knock it off.